Recent advances in nanotechnology have allowed the development of various new, useful materials with enhanced mechanical and/or chemical properties by integrating nanoparticles with larger, matrix structures (e.g., polymer matrix). One such example includes nanocomposites.
Nanocomposites are materials that are formed by incorporating nanoparticles into a macroscopic material in a scale of millimeters or micrometers, and the resulting nanocomposite material may exhibit drastically enhanced properties. For example, adding carbon nanotubes can dramatically increase thermal and electrical conductivity, while adding different species of nanoparticles may result in enhanced dielectric properties, optical properties, or greater mechanical properties such as stiffness and strength.
In particular, polymer nanocomposites (“PNCs”) are rapidly emerging as one of the most promising materials that can enhance a multitude of commercial products. PNCs are a class of reinforced polymers with nanoparticles which give them improved barrier properties, fire resistance, mechanical strength, etc. Such properties have made them valuable in components such as panels and as barrier and coating materials in automobile, civil and electrical engineering as well as packaging. Despite their desirable properties, however, PNCs are costly and complex to produce on a commercial-scale.